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/ November 7, 2017

Review of Tea Tourist Hats & Scarves Selection Box

Now I am a girl who loves her cups of tea. Not a day goes by when I don’t help myself to a cup of tea. It’s fair to say I’m a bit of a tea addict. Blogging has enlightened my tea palate encouraging me to try a variety of new teas. I love tea subscription boxes as they are a great way to discover new teas. So when I was lucky enough to receive Tea Tourist October’s selection of teas I couldn’t wait to dive in. Tea Tourist is a Derbyshire based subscription service that sends you a selection of loose leaf teas that you might not find delivered to your door each month. They choose from a range of companies from around the UK. Onto the contents within the box. You get six resealable packets of different teas which contain 3-4 cups worth of tea. You get a card detailing the information about the tea that you have received. Each tea has its own tasting card with details of the company, a little about the tea, how and when best to steep the tea and a section for you to add your own notes, creating a nice little reference guide.

Mazawattee Earl Grey Tea by Mazawattee

I choose this tea first as it is one of my favourite teas. It is described as delicate blend of Faitrade black teas infused with orange and lemon peel. The tea produces a zesty and aromatic brew that’s naturally high in antioxidants, making it great for boosting your mood and supporting healthy digestion. There are no allergens highlighted in the ingredients list or no may contain warning. On opening the packet I was greeted by a strong and very inviting citrus aroma, it reminded me of a quality bergamot. I added freshly boiled water to the tea and infused as instructed. The aroma was as I had anticipated that being of a strong quality black tea with fairly strong undertones of citrus noted. This intensified slightly on my famous close up sniff test. On sipping the tea it was fairly strong and well balanced and the subtle undertones the lemon and orange peel broke this up slightly resulting in a nice refreshing tea. I love a nice cup of earl grey and this certainly ticked all of the right boxes. It had the perfect balance of both aroma and flavour that I associate with a nice earl grey. I would definitely recommend this tea.

Mint Choc Royale By JollyBrew Tea Co

It is described as a peppermint blend infused with chocolatey flavours that delivers a truly mouth watering brew which tastes just like everyone’s favourite after dinner mint. It’s the ultimate guilt-free sweet treat, perfect for those with a sweet tooth. There are no allergens highlighted in the ingredients list and there is a warning that nuts are handled on-site. On opening the packet a I was greeted with a fairly strong peppermint aroma with a fruity yet chocolatey twist. I added boiled water to the tea and infused as instructed. The aromas of the peppermint and fruity chocolate intensified resulting in the aroma from the black tea getting a little lost as a result. On sipping the tea I initially got hit with the taste of a good quality everyday black tea but this didn’t last long. The peppermint and fruity chocolatey flavours soon kicked in. It was like my taste buds were getting hit from all angles. If I am honest I found it a little overpowering although I think some one with a sweet tooth may think differently. Sorry Jolly Brew this tea just wasn’t for me.

Spiced Orange Pekoe Tea by Spice Kitchen

It is described as a black tea blend inspired by Eastern European and Russian cuisine that balance the zesty flavour of orange peel with the spice Ines of cinnamon and cloves to deliver a heart-warming brew that’s perfect on a cold winters day. There are no allergens highlighted in the ingredients list or a may contain warning. On opening the packet I was greeted by a very pleasant aroma of citrus and cloves with a subtle hint of cinnamon noted. I added freshly boiled water to the tea and infused as instructed. The first thing that I noticed was the colour of the tea it was slightly weaker and a lighter shade of brown than what I had expected. Don’t get me wrong it looked like the perfect colour to me. Then came the aroma the orange, cloves and cinnamon took centre stage and was very inviting. It reminded very much of a nice chai tea. On sipping the tea my experience was the same the strength of orange, cloves and cinnamon intensified with the flavour from the black tea taking second place. I enjoyed everything about this tea from its aroma through to its flavour. It was a comforting yet refreshing tea that would be perfect in the colder months. I would definitely recommend this tea.

Vika Tea by The Tea Expereince

To is described as A Scandivian-inspired black tea blend infused with sweet flavours of vanilla and floral notes of marigold blossom. Originally developed for Harrogate’s Nordic-themed cafe, Baltzersen’s it’s perfect to enjoy on a starry winter nights. There are no allergens highlighted in the ingredients list or a may contain warning. On opening the packet I was greeted by a very pleasant aroma of vanilla, with a faint flora noted. I added freshly boiled water to the tea and infused as instructed. The aroma of the vanilla intensified slightly. It was clearly the predominant flavour to this tea yet it was not too strong or overpowering or artificially sweet. This intermingled with a subtle floral element from the marigold blossom. On sipping the tea it was a very mild black tea that had a subtle sweetness from the vanilla with a slight floral kick. The three elements to this tea complimented each other perfectly with the right balance to each ingredient. I enjoyed everything about this tea from its aroma through to its flavour. It is one of nicest vanilla teas that I have tried. I would definitely recommend this tea and purchase it in the future.

Turmeric Revival by MD Tea

It is described as a soothing herbal blend with sweet spice and soft citrus flavours that come together to creat a heart-warming brew with a smooth, creamy texture and fragrant aroma of autumnal nights around the fire. Onto the ingredients list liquorice is listed and there is no may contain warning. On opening the packet I was immediately struck by the ginger and liquorice aroma. I was pleasant but I was a little disappointed by this I was hoping to be greeted by the turmeric and a hint of cinnamon. I added freshly boiled water and infused the tea as instructed. On doing so the aroma of the ginger and liquorice intensified and seemed to overpower the other aromas from this tea. On sipping the tea my tastebuds got hit by an even balance from the ginger and liquorice followed by a subtle floral aftertaste. I was disappointed that I was unable to distinguish the turmeric or cinnamon element to this tea. I am afraid that I really didn’t enjoy this tea I found that the aroma and flavour from the ginger and liquorice just overpowered the other ingredients in this tea. I’m sorry MDTea but this tea just wasn’t for me.

Time For Winter by Caley’s Apothecary

It is described as an organic herbal blend that balances the sweetness of liquorice, spicy zing of ginger and earthy floral notes of thyme and elderflower to deliver a soothing brew that will keep you cosy warm on cold winter evenings. There are no allergens highlighted in the ingredients list and there is a warning that asteraceae. On opening the packet the I immediately got hit by the delightful aroma from the sage. It was a little stronger than I had anticipated and slightly overpowered the aroma from the other ingredients from this tea. I added freshly boiled water and infused the tea as instructed. The sage aroma intensified and was intermingled with the liquorice. I was a little disappointed as I was unable to distinguish the elderflower of ginger root elements to this tea even on my close up sniff test. On sipping the tea it tasted just like its aroma. The sage and liquorice were quiet strong and seemed to drown out the elderflower and ginger root. I am afraid that I really didn’t enjoy this tea. Whilst I loved the initial aroma from the thyme the combination of this with liquorice impacted on the other elements to this tea. A mixture of thyme and liquorice just isn’t for me. So would I recommend this subscription box? Yes I would. I really enjoyed the opportunity to try a diverse range of teas that Tea Tourist offers. It allowed me discover a new variety of tea companies without having to hunt them down myself. It’s a great and convenient way to try new teas. I can’t wait to try the next box.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this subscription box to try all of the opinions are honest and my own.

66 Comments

That’s a pity you didn’t get on with the mint choc tea as it sounds like my sort of thing! I have a very sweet tooth! I really like the idea of this box, I’ll have to look into it! PaleGirlRambling xohttp://palegirlrambling.co.uk

A tea subscription box is a great idea! I might have to add one to my Christmas list. My only problem is that there are teas out there I don’t like – I hate peppermint tea! So I’d be worried about getting tea I don’t like in the box. Xx

This tea box subscription sounds great! Especially if you love tea and love trying different ones. I’m not overly into tea that much. However, reading this has made me want to try some different flavour teas!

Wow this looks like a brilliant subscription box, and I would love a tea box. It would also make a perfect gift. I love that it comes with such a wide variety of tea too. Thanks so much for linking up at #fortheloveofBLOG. Claire x

nice review. i think my pick from the list would be the spiced orange pekoe and vika teas. i like me some sweet spices, especially when it comes to cinnamon and vanilla. i do find that most spiced/chai teas out there are disappointing due to their use of ginger (not my fave), which most people love. and so i think i would enjoy those two teas mentioned above.

About Me

Hi, I'm Chloe and I run the blog Pinkiebag dedicated to food and tea reviews. I never let being dairy free stop me enjoying food or drinks.

I love the fact that new free from and vegan foods are becoming more freely available to try. Oh and as for tea I would be lost without it. Very rarely does a day go by when I have not enjoyed at least six cups.

So if you are looking for someone to review your food or tea I would love to hear from you.